Council Approvals for Steel Buildings
Planning a new structural steel building involves more than deciding what the building will look like and where it will sit.
Depending on your project, you may need planning approval, building certification and supporting documentation before construction can begin. The pathway will depend on factors including your location, land zoning, proposed use, building classification, site conditions and the scale of the development.
Understanding these requirements early can help reduce delays, avoid unnecessary redesign and give you greater certainty as your project progresses.
At TechSpan, we consider these requirements early through our Concept. Configure. Construct. approach, helping ensure the structural solution develops alongside the wider requirements of your project.
Do I Need Council Approval for a Steel Building?
Not every structural steel building follows the same approval pathway.
In NSW, development may potentially fall within an exempt development pathway, complying development pathway, or require a Development Application (DA), depending on the proposal and whether it meets the relevant planning requirements.
Your approval requirements can be influenced by factors including:
- Property zoning and planning controls.
- Proposed use of the building.
- Building size, height and location.
- NCC building classification.
- Site constraints.
- Bushfire, flooding or environmental considerations.
- Access, traffic and parking requirements.
- Local planning requirements.
For this reason, the approval pathway should be established for the individual project and site, rather than assumed based simply on the type of building being constructed.
Start With Your Building’s Intended Use
One of the important early considerations is how the building will actually be used.
The National Construction Code (NCC) groups buildings according to their use, with classifications ranging from Class 1 through to Class 10. The classification can influence which NCC requirements apply to the building.
TechSpan projects can include buildings used for:
- Warehousing and storage.
- Manufacturing and processing.
- Workshops and maintenance.
- Agricultural operations.
- Aviation.
- Education and community use.
- Other industrial and operational purposes.
Rather than repeating all the classifications here, we’ve put together a dedicated guide explaining the classes most relevant to TechSpan projects.
Read our Australian Building Classes Guide
Your certifier or relevant approval authority should ultimately confirm the classification applicable to your project.
What Are the Main Approval Pathways in NSW?
For projects in NSW, there are several potential planning pathways.
The appropriate pathway depends on the development, property and applicable planning controls.
Exempt Development
Some low-impact development can be undertaken without planning or building approval where all applicable exempt development standards are met.
Whether a proposed building qualifies should be checked against the current planning requirements for the site and development.
Don’t assume that a building is exempt simply because it is a shed or located on a rural property.
Complying Development
Complying development provides a combined planning and construction approval pathway for straightforward development that meets specified development standards.
A Complying Development Certificate, commonly called a CDC, can be assessed by a council or registered certifier without requiring a full Development Application.
This pathway can apply to some business and industrial developments, but the proposal must satisfy the applicable requirements.
Depending on your project, supporting information may be required covering areas such as:
- Architectural plans.
- Site and survey information.
- Structural engineering.
- Civil engineering.
- Stormwater and drainage.
- Fire safety.
- Access and parking.
- Energy efficiency.
- Other site or development-specific requirements.
The exact documentation required should be confirmed with your certifier or relevant consultant rather than relying on a standard checklist.
What Is a Development Application?
Where a project cannot proceed as exempt or complying development, a Development Application (DA) may be required.
A DA allows the relevant consent authority to assess the proposed development against applicable planning controls and consider the potential impacts of the project.
Depending on the development, documentation may include:
- Site plans.
- Floor plans and elevations.
- Building sections.
- Survey information.
- A Statement of Environmental Effects.
- Civil and stormwater information.
- Access and traffic information.
- Landscaping information.
- Bushfire, flooding or environmental assessments.
- Other specialist reports relevant to the site or proposal.
The requirements vary significantly between projects, which is why identifying the approval pathway and consultant requirements early is important.
The NSW Planning Portal provides information about planning controls and development applications in NSW.
What Happens During the DA Process?
Every Development Application is different, but the process generally involves understanding the site and planning requirements, developing the proposal, preparing supporting documentation and lodging the application for assessment.
A typical pathway may include:
1. Understand the site and planning constraints
Review zoning, applicable planning controls, site conditions and any environmental or development constraints that could influence the project.
2. Develop the building concept
Work through the intended use, building size, location, access and operational requirements so the proposed structure responds to both the site and the way it needs to function.
3. Prepare plans and supporting documentation
Your project team prepares the drawings, reports and other information required to support the application.
4. Lodge the application
The application is submitted through the relevant approval process for assessment.
5. Respond to requests for information
During assessment, the consent authority may request clarification, additional information or amendments.
6. Determination
The consent authority determines whether the development is approved and, where approval is granted, issues the applicable development consent and conditions.
Approval isn’t guaranteed simply because an application has been lodged. Good early planning helps identify potential issues before significant time and money are committed to detailed design.
What Happens After Development Approval?
Receiving development consent does not necessarily mean construction can immediately begin.
For development requiring a Construction Certificate, the detailed plans and specifications need to be assessed against the applicable requirements and conditions before the certificate is issued. Building work generally cannot commence until the required certification is in place and a Principal Certifier has been appointed where required.
This is where coordination between the architectural, structural, civil and other project documentation becomes particularly important.
What Is a Construction Certificate?
A Construction Certificate (CC) confirms that the detailed construction plans and specifications satisfy the applicable requirements for the approved development before building work proceeds.
The documentation required will depend on the project and may involve structural engineering, civil design, fire safety, services and other technical information.
For structural steel buildings, having the structural design properly coordinated with the wider project documentation can help reduce discrepancies and unnecessary redesign at this stage.
What Is a Principal Certifier?
Where required in NSW, a Principal Certifier is appointed to oversee specified compliance requirements during construction.
The Principal Certifier can be a registered building surveyor, local council or registered certification company. Their role includes overseeing the construction phase and completing required critical stage inspections.
If you want to understand the different consultants involved in the approval and construction process, we’ve covered them separately here:
Council Approvals: Who You Need and What Each Consultant Does
Are Building Inspections Required?
Depending on the project and approval pathway, inspections may be required at specified stages during construction.
Your Principal Certifier will advise which critical stage inspections apply to the development.
Other inspections or certifications may also be required from engineers or other consultants depending on the building and conditions of approval.
Understanding these requirements before construction starts can help ensure inspections are coordinated with the building program.
What Is an Occupation Certificate?
An Occupation Certificate (OC) is generally the final step in the formal development and construction approval process before a new building can be occupied or used.
It confirms that the relevant requirements have been satisfied for occupation or use of the building. In NSW, occupation certificates can be issued by a local council or private certifier.
Requirements will depend on the development and its approval conditions.
What Documentation Will I Need?
There is no single documentation checklist that applies to every structural steel building.
Depending on the project, you may require information relating to:
- Architectural design.
- Survey and site information.
- Geotechnical conditions.
- Structural engineering.
- Civil engineering.
- Stormwater and drainage.
- Fire safety.
- Traffic and vehicle access.
- Accessibility.
- Energy efficiency.
- Environmental considerations.
- Bushfire or flooding.
- Landscaping.
- Waste management.
- Other project-specific requirements.
The important point is to identify these requirements early, rather than discovering them after the building has already been designed.
Who Do I Need to Help With Council Approval?
Your project may involve a combination of:
- Town planner.
- Building designer or architectural draftsperson.
- Structural engineer.
- Civil engineer.
- Registered certifier.
- Principal Certifier.
- Builder.
- Other specialist consultants.
We’ve explained what each of these people does and where TechSpan fits into the process in our dedicated guide:
Council Approvals: Who You Need and What Each Consultant Does
Where Does TechSpan Fit Into the Approval Process?
TechSpan supports the structural building component of your project.
Through our Concept. Configure. Construct. approach, we work through your operational requirements, site conditions and structural requirements early, helping create a clearer pathway from initial planning through to project delivery.
Depending on the project and delivery scope, this can include:
- Structural building design.
- Structural engineering.
- Structural steel detailing.
- Structural steel manufacture.
- Roofing and wall cladding.
- Coordination of doors and windows within our agreed scope.
- Rainwater goods to ground level.
- Coordination with your builder and relevant consultants.
We can work with your existing project team or, where appropriate, help connect you with consultants and Builder Partners.
We don’t replace council, your town planner or certifier. Our role is to help ensure the structural building solution is properly considered and coordinated as part of the wider project.
Why Early Planning Matters
The approval process and building design shouldn’t happen independently.
Decisions around building use, location, size, access, structural requirements and site conditions can all influence the approval pathway and the final building design.
Considering these requirements early can help:
- Identify potential planning constraints.
- Establish the appropriate approval pathway.
- Reduce unnecessary redesign.
- Improve coordination between consultants.
- Give greater certainty around project scope.
- Reduce delays later in the project.
- Create a building that works for both the site and the operation.
This is particularly important for larger industrial buildings, agricultural buildings, aviation facilities and community infrastructure, where operational and compliance requirements can influence the building from the outset.
Talk with our team about your project
Frequently Asked Questions About Council Approvals
Do all sheds need council approval?
No single approval pathway applies to every shed or structural steel building. Requirements depend on the location, property, proposed use, building size and applicable planning controls.
The appropriate pathway should be confirmed for your individual project.
What’s the difference between a DA and a CDC?
A Development Application involves assessment of a proposed development through the applicable planning process.
Complying development is a combined planning and construction approval pathway for development that meets specified standards and can be assessed by a council or registered certifier.
Can TechSpan tell me whether my project will be approved?
No one can guarantee that a proposed development will receive approval.
TechSpan can help you define the structural requirements of your project and work alongside your relevant consultants, but planning and certification decisions sit with the appropriate authorities and professionals.
Should I design my building before speaking to council or a planner?
It’s useful to understand what you need from the building, but you generally don’t want to progress too far into detailed design before important planning and site constraints have been identified.
Early coordination helps the building concept develop around the realities of the site and approval requirements.
Does TechSpan manage council approvals?
TechSpan’s primary role is the structural building solution. Depending on the project and delivery pathway, we can work alongside the consultants responsible for planning and certification and help coordinate the structural information they require.
What building class is my shed?
Building classification is determined by the building’s intended use, not simply by calling it a “shed”. For example, warehouses, factories, public buildings and some agricultural facilities may fall into different NCC classifications.
Read our Australian Building Classes Guide for more information.
Planning a Structural Steel Building?
Understanding the approval pathway early can help you make better decisions about your site, building design and project team before construction begins.
Whether you’re planning an industrial facility, agricultural building, aircraft hangar or community facility, TechSpan can help you define the structural requirements and understand the next steps for your project.